No smoking, period

It might seem like an oxymoron, but University Hospital &#151 like a lot of hospitals &#151 has for years directed smokers to designated smoking areas to light up.

No more.

Beginning Sunday, Valentine’s Day, the hospital, along with all its outpatient facilities, is going completely smoke-free. Staff have been warned of penalties for violating the rules. Patients and families will be asked politely to move to the property line if they must smoke.

It’s the latter group that makes officials a little nervous. Those family members often are in the middle of “a horrible, stressful ordeal. We don’t want to make it worse,” said spokeswoman Leni Kirkman.

The concern, of course, is the dangerous effects of second-hand smoke &#151 particularly on sick people. To make it easier, the hospital will offer stop-smoking support. And doctors and nurses are being updated on nicotine replacement treatments for certain hospitalized patients.

The hospital currently has three designated smoking areas, all outdoors.